Purpose & Passion

Purpose is what gives an individual motivation, both short-term and long-term. Purpose is what makes us get out of bed on a cold windy day.... It is what helps us stick to a difficult class, knowing we need the information...

In Building a Culture of Hope, the Seed of Purpose is described in Chapter 7.

Purpose and Passion are so important. The strategies and suggestions for increasing Purpose in our schools are more numerous than the other Seeds. Observations in high-performing, high-poverty schools reveal eleven strategies for increasing Purpose in students and staff:

Help students see more relevance in their studies.Focus on intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivations.

Develop community assets that support healthy psychological growth of youth.

Expand students' horizons.

Develop students' interests and talents through school clubs and activities.

Foster autonomy.

Engage students in reflective inquiry.

Provide learning options.

Reduce emphasis on standardized tests.Continually remind students they can succeed.

Help students set goals and master strategies to achieve those goals.

Encourage students to dream and dream realistically.

Encourage hard work and persistence.

Resources from Building a Culture of Hope are listed below as PDFs. Discussion Topics for book study. Staff/Team Questionnaire sample.Student Questionnaire sample.